Stacker for slicing-machines.



C. F. M. VAN BERKEL. STACKER FOR sucme MACHINES.

A PPUCATION FILED JULY 5.1917- Patented Jan. 7, 1919. 5 SHEETSSHEET 1- mfcwzor" C010: 2219 van he r/re? 95/3. wzw

C. F M. VAN BERKEL.

STACKER FOR SLICING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1917.

1,390,425. Patent-ed Jan. 7, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

C. F. M. VAN BERKEL.

STACKER FOR SLIGING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1917.

1 90,425. Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

772 Vania?! 027767119 Van BerlteZ QWKW 259%MM fiJwW I 0. F. M. VAN BERKEL- STACKER FOR SLICING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.1917- Patented J an. 7, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- til lid

COBNELIS 15. Ml van BERKEL, 0h Lil-FORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 U. S. SLICINW MACHINE COMEANY, 0F LORTE, l

LANA, A. CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

STACKER FOR SLICING-MACHWES.

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Application filed m a, raw. serial No. water.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Laporte, in the county of lLaporte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stackers for Slicing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for stacking the slices of meat or other material, as they are cut by a slicing machine, and has for its object the provision ot a device of the character named which shall he of improved construction and more eihcient in its operation than similar devices previously known,

'lhe invention is exemplified in the cornloi nation and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

lo the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a slicing machine having one emhodiment of the present invention connected therewith; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. i; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail; Fig. l is a vertical sectional view substantially on line ll of Fig. :2; Figs. 5, 6, l, and El are'detail views of "he operating cam and associated parts of the stacker fly; Fig 9 is a sectional elevation on line 9 9 of llin, l; Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view on line l0--l0 oi ll ig. 9; Fig. ll is a view similar to Fig. 10 but with the stackerhelt in discharging position; Fig. 12 shows a portion or the staclrer helt and its relation to the slicing its on a larger scale than that of Figs. 10 and lit; Fig. 13 is a detail oi the support for the steel: of slices; l ip. it is a fragmentary vertical section ol the staclrer trams oil a slightly modified term of the invention; and Fig, la is a horirental section on line iii-15 oil Fig. i l,

lo the operation all machines for slicing most materials, it is desirable to place the slices, as they are termed, in pile or steel: on top oi one another. lit heen customary tor the operator parse the slice as it is termed, in one hand, while he turns the machine with the other, and places the slices in staclr formation. llhie, ol course, is an inconvenient method oil operation, and in Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patente Jan, '3, ldl,

many cases is unsanitary. where the o orator is not sufficiently careful with regar to the cleanliness of his hands. Moreover, during the slicing of meat and similar substances, this old mode of operation renders the hands greas so that they must be washed with sea store the operator may perform other tas s. It is, therefore, very desirable to provide a machine which shall perform the stacking operation mechanically.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the lease of a slicing machine which may he ot' wellknown and approved construction and which is provided with a standard 2 carrying the usual term of dish knife 3 for cutting slices from a piece of material 4 carried on a reciprocating table 5. The tahle 5 is moved toward and away from the knife 3 to feed the material to the knife hy. a crank o'and pitnian 7. The cranlr 6 is connected by means ot the bevel gearing with the main drive shaft 8 which is rotated by means of the hand wheel 9, or which may he rotated by a motor in the case oil a power machine. The material at is means of a plate 10 and ratchet mechanism 11, in a manner well known in the art.

its the slices are out from the treat or tion oi the material l they are receive on prongs, or spikes lfil which are carried loy upright here 13 secured at their upper and lower ends to the limits ol chains ll and l5, respectively.

The bars 13 have their upper and lower ends respectively, tormed integral with the linlts oi the chains it and 15, andare otlset relative to the plane of the pivotal connected across the table 5 hy lld tions it oil" the links, as shown in Figs. 4i i and fill. The prongs if of the hers 13 project "llrom the liars toward the: plane oi? the pivotal connections l6 oi the chain links, and the prongs are of suthcient length to hrinir the points slightly past the plane of these pivotal connections, so that when a slice of meat has been forced onto the prongs, the slice will lie substantially in the plane of the pivots. lln this way the slice enpfapging portions oi the prongs are always maintained at a unilorni distance from one another, whether the chains it, and 15 are straight or curved. around a head in their lit and it which are Mid ldh

is best shown 1n lation relative to one another by a pair of upright posts 19 and 20. The chain guides 17 and 18 and their connecting posts 19 and 20, together with necessary bracing members, constitute a unitary stacker frame which is pivotally supported on a third post 21 so that it may swing slightly about the post 21 to move the end of the frame, adjacent the knife, a suilicient distance away from the knife to permit cleaning of-the parts of the machine. A supporting bracket 22 (Figs. 1 and 3) is provided for the end of the frame adjacent the knife, and the lower end of the post 20 is permitted to extend through an opening 23 in the bracket 22, and a nut 24 is carried by the lower end of the post 20 by means of which the stacker frame may be securely locked in operating position.

The slice carrier, comprising the chains 14 and 15, the upright bars 13 and prongs 12, is caused to travel in its guides 17 and 18 by a connection between the carrier and the reciprocating table 5, which connection Figs. 9, 10 and 11. A bracket 25 is rigidly secured to the table 5 and carries a pivot 26 on which a lever 27 is mounted. A pin 28 is carried by the upper end of the lever 27 and passes through a slot 29 in a bar 30, which is substituted for the upright bar 13 in the end links of the tonveyer chains 14 and 15. The lower end of the lever 27 is provided with a roller 31, which travels in a groove 32 in a channel bar 33, rigidl secured to the frame of the machine, as s own in Fig. 1. The channel bar 33 and the groove 32 are given a downward turn, as shown at 34 in Fig. 9 of the I drawings, at the end of the bar adjacent the slicing knife. As the table 5 moves to the right in Fig. 9, toward the slicingknife, the lever 27 and the upright bar 30 will be caused to move in unison with the table, since the lever 27 is prevented from rotation about the pivot 26 by the roller 31 which travels in the groove 32. As the table 5 nears the end of its travel, the roller 31 will be prevented from further forward movement by the turn 34 in the groove 32. This will cause the upper end of the lever 27 to travel at a greater rate of speed than the table 5, and thus increase the amount of travel of the slice carrier at the end of the reciprocation of the table. This increase in the travel of the slice carrier occurs after the table has passed the knife and after the slice has been completel severed, and is for the purpose of moving the carrier a sufiicient "amount to bring the last portion of the slice around the bend at the end of the frame, and into the position on the front side of the carrier, from which it is discharged onto the stack. This will be best understood from Fig. 11 which shows a slice 35 in position t) be discharged from the carrier. It will be readily understood that the movement of the bar 30, toward the slicing knife, will push the entire slice carrier before it, since the links of the chain are held from buckling relative to one another by their guide the drawings.

The portions of the guide channels 17 and so 18 on the side of the stacker frame, adjacent the slicing machine, may be ositioned at a slight angle to the p ane o the slices being formed, so that the teeth of gradually fed into the the slice carrier are material as the table 5 and the slice carrymg conveyer are moved in unison toward the slicing knife. It should be understood. however, that this feature is not absolutely essential since the slice carrier may be arranged in a plane parallel with the face of the material being sliced and the material will then be simultaneously forced onto all of the prongs by the feeding movement of the table. Where the angular arran emcnt shown in the drawings is employed, t e pin 28 must be made of suflicient length to reach the slot in the bar 30, when the bar is at the end of the guide channel, as shown in Fig. 10.

The guide channels for the slice carrier are so positioned, relative to the slicing and just suflicientclearance is provided to prevent contact between the points of the prongs and the edge of the knife as the prongs pass the knife. A guard plate 40 is located adjacent the path of movement of the slice as it is carried around the bend at the end of the stacker frame, adjacent the knife. This guard plate, as shown in F ig. 12, deflects the slice away from the knife edge and prevents it from falling away from the points of the prongs 12 at the position where it is thus deflected. The edge of the guard plate farthest from the knife is given a slightly greater curvature than that of the guides for the slice carrier, and a series of grooves 41 are provided in this edge of the guard through which the points of the prongs 12 pass as they travel around the curved end of the ides. By this arrangement, the slice is orced onto the prongs a suflicient amount to permit the points of the prongs to protrude slightly from the outer surface of the slice. This insures the slice incomes against anyv danger of falling from the prongs while it is being carried to the discharge position.

For discharging the slices from the carrier, a fly 15 is provided which carries a series of arms 46 arranged to pass between the rows of prongs 12 between the uprights 13 and the slice 25 as the slice is carried to the outer side of the stacker, as shown in Fig. 11. The arms 46 are carried by an upright 47 rigidly securedto a shaft 48 journaled in bearings 49 carried on a bracket 50 secured to the frame of the machine by leg screws 51. The shaft as also carries a rocker arm 52 to .which is pivotally attached one end of an operating bar 53. The opposite end of the bar 53 is bifurcated, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 and extends over a shaft 54: journaled in brackets 55 secured to the under surface of the machine frame. A gear 56 is attached to the shaft 54 and meshes with a pinion 57 carried on the main, drive shaft 8.

' A cam 59 is secured to-the shaft 54 having its periphery arranged to engage with a roller 60 carried by a link 61 pivoted at 62 to the bar 53. The link 61 is free to swing about its pivot in onedirection, as shown in Fig. 5, but is prevented from movement in the opposite direction 'by a stop 63 secured to the bar 53. The periphery of the cam 59 normally bears against the roller 60 and the.

cam is so shaped that when the shaft 54: rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig.6,

the bar 53 will be forced outwardly during.

a one-half turn of the shaft and will be held stationary in its outermost position during the second halfof the rotation of the shaft. After the shaft has made a complete rotation, the edge of the link 61 will pass over the shoulder 64: on the cam 59 and the bar 53 will be drawn backwardly toward the shaft 5 1 by a coil s ring 65 secured to the bar 53 by means 0 a pin 66, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:. The operating surface of the cam 59 normally'operates against the roller 60 but leaves the roller justbefore the backward movement of the bar 53 vis permitted. The link 61 is provided with anadditional bearing surface 67 whichextends parallel with the axis of the roller 6O, as shown inFig. 7. The purpose of the addi" tional' bearing surface 67 is 'to release the bar 53 more nearly instantaneously than would be done if a roller alone were used. The bearing surface-67 may beset slightly farther from the cam surface than the p 'riphery of the roller 60, toinsure bearingof the cam surface on the roller duringflthe principal portion of therotation of .tl' ecan'i. n practice.'l1owever, it is customaryto arrange the surface flush with the roller and permit the more rapid wearingof the fixed surface to provide the necessary relief. The link which carries the roller 60 is pivotaily connected to the bar 53 for'tlie purpose of tension of the spring when the fly en p H I dropped a cons derable dlstance onto the table 70 and yet will permitting reverse rotation of the shaft 54. When this shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, the shoulder 61 of the cam .will strike the bearing surface 67 but this will not prevent rotation of the shaft since the link 61 is free to swing out of the way of the cam, as illustrated in this figure.

When the bar 53 is released by the cam 59 and permitted to move toward the shaft 54 under the tension of the spring 65, the fly45 will be rotated outwardly and downwardly about the shaft 48 and will disengage the slice 35 from the prongs 12 and carry the slice before it into a horizontal position above a receiving table 70. The slice will then fall from the fly onto the upper surface of the table. It should be noted that thefiy is voperated in the discharging direction by the spring and is returned to its initial position bythe cam. This ently of [the speed of operation of the slicing machine. This arrangement is very important since therangeof speed for the best operation of the fly is not very great. Too

great a speed will tend to throw the slice away from the machine and so prevent proper stacking, while too slow a speed will permit the slice to drop downwardly in a crumpled condition instead of being carried before the fingers 46 into a horizontal position from which it is dropped upon the stack. Since the spring operates with the same speed, regardless of the speed. at which the hand Wheel 9 is rotated, the slices are always dropped from the fly under exactly the same conditions, and will therefore fall evenly on top of one anotherand form a uniform pile.

To insure a smoother movement of the fly and to prevent shocks at the limit of its movement, a spring brake or rather a shock absorber-71 (Figs. 1 and 2) is caused to cooperate witha cam 72 carriedby the shaft 481 This shock absorber comprises a roller 73 which is constantly pressed outwardly by a coil spring 74 .into contact with the periphery o the cam 72. The arrangement @isfsuch, .that the. pressure is very light upon .the am when the 'fiy is in its uppermostpo' 'sitionbut gradually increases until. 'becomes sufficient .to overcome the decreased has reached 'a horizontal or discharging post tion. In th s way the fly s "limited in ts downward .fmovement an? stopped without.

fihbc orlnoise under exactly the same condltlons at sas leee e i i h bee .fo lid in pract caitl at as a result ofthe ationcf these parts. the slices may be arrange themselves in a uniform stack. This makes it unnecessary to provide atable arranged to move cured to the brackets 77 to &

downwardly after each slice is deposited, since the table can be set a suflicient distance below the lower limit of the movemen't of the fly to permit the formation of a stack of any height ordinarily desired, without additional adjustmentof the positio of the table.

he table 70 may be adjustably held in position to receivethe slices by means of uprights 75 carried at the ends of horizontal bars 76, projecting forwardly from the frame of the machine. Brackets 77 (see Fig. 13) are attached to each end of the table and are provided with clutch collars 78'w'hich hold the table against downward movement, but permit ready adjustment into any desired position when pins 79 are pressed upwardly by the operator to release the grip of the collars on the bars 75. Coil springs 80 normally hold the clutch collars in gripping position. Handles 81 are sefacilitate adjustment of the table.

' reciprocate with it durin the t ing this operation since The operation of the machine may be summarized as follows: The material to be sliced is clamped upon the plate 10 in the usual mannerand the hand wheel rotated to perform a slicing operation. This is all the manipulation required of the operator.

As the table 5 is reciprocated back and forth, the prongs 12 on. the slice carrier will move in unison therewith for all positions eiircept at the extreme end of the movement 0 the material being sliced is no longer adjacent the prongs. the prongs will not interfere with the feeding of the material transversely to the plane of the knife since they always occupy a fixed position relative to the aterial and me that the material is fed across't e table 5. As a particular slice is severed by the slicing nife, it will be carried by the prongs 12 around the curved end of the stacker frame, and will be forced more securely onto the prongs 12 by the guard plate or deflector 40. There will be no distortionof the slice durthesIice engaging portions of the prongs are maintained at a slice is thus brought into discharge of their position in the surfaceof curvature of the conveyer belt. When the slice has been entirely severed, an additional throw is imparted to the carrier by means of the lever 27 and its. guide channel 32 and the position, as shown in Fig. 11. During the movement of the slice into this position, the fingers 46 of the fly 45 enter the space between the rear of the slice and the bars 13 and just "at the time when the table 5 is passing dead center preparatory to its return movement, at which time the slice carrier will also be at the table toward the slicing knife after It will thus be seen thatrest, the cam 59 releases the spring and the fly is rotated forwardly and downwardly to disengage the slice from the prongs and to discharge it onto the stack. During the return movement of the table 5 and the slice carrier, the fly is forced upwardly by the first half of the cam 59 so that it is in position to enter between the prongs of the carrier behind the next slice during the next forward movement of the table. The fly is held in this position during the formation of the slice by'the second half of 'the cam 59 which is spaced a uniform distance from the center of the shaft 54. The operation is repeated by a simple continuous rotation of the fly wheel handle until 'as many slices are de is desired.

In the modification 15, a catch 85 is 86 and engages shown in Figs. 14 and pivotally mounted on a post the arm 47 of the fly 45 of the cam 59.

spring 88 holds the catch in engagement with the arm 47. A control rod 89 is connected with the catch 85 and is slidably supported at its opposite end on a second post 90. The end of the rod is bent upwardly, as shown at 91, andextends into the path of the .pin 28 by which the slice conveyer is driven. The arrangement is such, that the pin 28 engages the bent end 91 of the rod 89 just as the pin reaches the end of its stroke and after the bar 53 has ,heen freed from the shoulder 64 of the cam 59, and by drawing the bar to the. right, as viewed in the drawing, releases the catch 85 from the fly. This insures a stantaneous release of the fly so that the motion of the fly will keep it in engagement with the slice, with sufficient force, to prevent falling of the slice durin ment of the fly. Where a quic release catch for the fly is employed, a simple roller coosited upon the table as practically in-' initial movev operating with the cam 59 is sufiicient withduring the positioning operations thereof.

at a speed independent of the speed of said slicing machine.

3. The combination with a slicing machine, of means for receivinfg slices formed by said machine, a device or dischargingl the slices from said receiving means, an

neon tes operations thereof independent of the speed of said slicing machine.

4. The combination with a slicing ma-;'

chine, of means for receiving slices as they are formed by said machine and for trans ferring said slices away from the slicing knife, a device for discharging said slices from said receiving means, and means for operating said discharging device at a speed independent of the speed of said slicing machine.

5. The combination with a slicing machine, of a device, for positioning the slices formed by said machine, means for translerring slices formed by said machine to said positioning device, and resilient means tor actuating said device during slicepositioning movement thereof.

6. The combination with a slicing machine, of means for receiving the slices lcrmed thereby, a spring actuated slice positioning device tor depositing slices upon said slice-receiving means, and mechanism ltor transterring slices formed by said ma chine to said positioning device.

l1 The combination with a slicing machine, of means .lor receiving the slices termed therehy and for translcrring said slices away trom the slicing ln'iile, and a slice positioning device, wring actuated tor translerring the slices lr'rom said receiving device to a stacln '"lfhe combination with a slicing machine, oil a convever tor receiving slices termed by said machine and lor translerring said slices avvar "l'roni the lmile, a fly tor discharging the slices from said conveyor, and actuating mechanism tor said dy ar ranged to operatesaid hr at a unitorm speeddililerent discharging positions independently ot the speed at said machine,

h. 'llhe comhination with a slicing machine, o'l mechanism tor receiving slices thereilrom and discharging said slices dovvn vvardlp in :llatvvise position, and. means lor operating said mechanism to cause discharge till said slices under unilorm conditions tor dillerent operations oi said machine inde pendently oi the speed at said machine lit lhe combination With a slicing ma chine, ot a spring actuated slice discharging device there or, means for translerring slices termed by said machine to said discharging device, and a butler tor controlling the movement ot' said device,

it the combination "with a slicing machine, ol slice stacking mechanism therelor, a spring" actuated dy tor discharging slices drum. said mechanism, and a butler resting the movement at said lily..-

ll. "the comhination with a slam,- machine, oil a conveyor having prongs "or re said conveyor ceiving slices formed by said machine, a fly for discharging slices from said prongs and for moving said slices into a horizontal position, a spring for actuating said fly, and a buffer for arresting the movement of said fly to permit discharge of the slices therefrom when said fly has reached an approximately horizontal position.

13. The combination with a slicing ma chine, of a conveyer having prongs thereon for receiving slices from said machine and for holding said slices in an upright position, a fly for discharging slices from said prongs arranged to move about a horizontal pivot to transfer said slices from an upright position to a horizontal position; a spring for actuating said tip during such transterring operation, and a spring ouder for an resting the movement oi said fly when said slice 'has'reached a horizontal position to fiause the discharge ofsaid slice from said it. The combination with a slicing machine, of a pivot lily for discharging slices therelrom, means for transferring slices termed by said machine to said fly, a spring tor actuating said dy during a discharge operation, and a cam for returning said fly to its initial position. i

, 15. The combination with a slicing machine, ot a slice .stacltertheretor, a cam for operating said stacker when said machine is driven in one direction, a member for cooperating vvith said cam to receive movement therelrom, and a support lor said member arranged to yield to the movement at said cam vvhen said machine is operated in the opposite direction to permit said reverse op eration ol the machine ltd. ithe combination with a slicing machine,- ot a convever lor receiving slices therctrom and arranged to transler said slices into a plane parallel with the plane at the slicing lmiile but removed tl ierelrom, and a llr having an aide rotation parallel vvith the plane all said lento for discharging the slices drum said conver er.

ll, "llhe combination with a slicing machine, ed a converter having prongs thereon tor receiving slices as thev are termed by said machine and tor translerring said slices avra v lrom the slicing hallo, a tlr r having lingers located adiacent the path I 'll move-- ment at said prongs and arranged to discha ge the slices therozlrom, a spring ll-or moving said 1dr to transler the s ices tram into a hurinontal position, a cam tor moving said tip in opposition to the tension oil said spring and tar holding said tip in position adjacent the path ol movement all said prongs during a part at the cvclo ol operation cl sald machine and tar releasing said 1dr to permit discharge ot slices team said conveyor, transmission ioo lllh

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mechanism for connecting said cam with the operating parts of said slicing machine, and a buffer for controlling. the movement of said fly during its discharging operation.

18. The combination with a slicing machine, of a slice stacker comprising a slice discharging device,-a spring for actuating said discharging device, and a buffer for said discharging device arranged to offer a gradually varying resistance to the action of said spring.

19. The combination with a slicing machine, of a slice stacker therefor comprising a discharging device, a spring for operating said discharging device, and a buffer comprising a cam, and a spring pressed member cooperating therewith for controlling the movement of said discharging device under the tension of said spring.

20. The combination with a slicing machine, of a device for discharging'slices therefrom, and a buffer for controlling the operation of said slice discharging device.

21. The combination with a slicing machine, of a device for depositin slices formed thereby, a spring for actuatmg said device during a depositing operation, and a buffer for controlling said operation.

22. The combination with a slicing machine, of a conveyer having prongs thereon for receiving slices as they are formed by said machine and for transferring said slices away from the slicing knife, :1 fly having fingers located adjacent the path of movement of said prongs and arranged to discharge the slices therefrom, a spring for moving said fly to transfer the shoes from said conveyer into a horizontal position, a cam for moving said fly in opposition to the tension of said spring and for holding said fly in position adjacent the path of movement of said prongs during a part of the cycle of operation of said machine and for releasing said fly to permit discharge of slices from said conveyer, transmission mechanism for connecting said cam with the operating parts of said slicing machine, a buffer for fly during its discharging operation, and a safety device for permitting reverse movement of said operating parts of said slicing machine independently of said slice handling mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification on this 2nd day of July, A. D. 1917.

CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL.

controlling the movement of said 

